Avantes has over 22 years of experience in applying spectroscopy and optical sensing technologies to enumerable environments and industries. Our partnership approach to working with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) is at the core of our success and philosophy as a business. Read more

For laboratory, research institutes and universities we offer a great variety of spectroscopy products. Our instrument line offers a wide selection of detectors and gratings to provide a multitude of configurations. Our unique modular instrument architecture enables a multi-channel platform, offering customers the flexibility to configure up to ten spectrometers in a single enclosure. Read more

Avantes’ Solutions are a combination of a spectrometer, light source, accessories and software to create a measurement-ready bundle for your application. Each bundle contains all products you need to get started with your measurement.

Photonics Applications in Environmental Sciences

||

Ecosystems around the world are facing growing threats. The increasing pace of industrialization, pressure from growing populations and increasing urbanization, as well as climate changes can wreak havoc on emerging economies and have health and social implications. Not surprisingly, researchers, scientists and governments are investing significant resources to monitoring and preventing these environmental hazards.

Avantes is a leading innovator in the development and application of fiber optic spectroscopy instruments and systems. Our mission at Avantes is to provide state of the art measurement equipment that allows people to live longer, healthier lives and saves the planet for generations to come, so it’s no wonder that Avantes instruments are found at the forefront of environmental science.

Industries and Methods

As industry of all sorts advance throughout the global marketplace, both the need for ecological monitoring and the technology to implement it, advance as well. Several spectroscopic measurement techniques are proving to be effective and versatile for environmental applications. Fluorescence measurements are a typical choice for detecting the presence of hydrocarbon pollutants, while Raman spectroscopy might be used to identify organic contaminants. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and fluorescence measurements are both used in processing nuclear material, and we see absorbance spectroscopy used in water quality monitoring of coastal waterways.

The need for environmental and ecological testing and measurement is constantly on the rise and there are a number of spectroscopy methods available. An Avantes engineer can help determine the right methods and optimized system specifications to design the right spectroradiometry solution for your measurement needs.

The work required the mapping of detection errors to degradation of optical output power and determined a degradation limit of 30%. This means that the useful life of the bulb requires maintaining 70% of initial output power. For high-powered UV-LEDs, they estimated this was approximately 6,200 hours of continuous use or, depending on the bulb, up to 66,000 hours of cycled use (30sec on/ 30sec off) which represents a significant improvement over traditional bulbs. These scientists are working to bring real-time, continuous monitoring for hydrocarbon pollution to fruition.

Researchers from the College of Control Science and Engineering at Zhejiang University, publishing in the May 2017 Journal of Spectroscopy, are working to develop a method for rapid, on-site water quality analysis in the case of unknown contaminants. Their method employs fluorescence spectroscopy. They applied an alternating trilateral decomposition (ATLD) algorithm, after eliminating Raman scattering effects, to establish a model of a “normal” water sample. Working with an excitation wavelength of 350 nm and an emission wavelength of 397 nm, the researchers believe they were able to establish a model to detect the presence of unknown organic contaminants with fluorescent characteristics. This work on developing a profile of “normal” water (water without organic contaminants) has the potential for the development of real-time, inline water quality monitoring systems.

Tertiary treatment is the final stage of wastewater treatment that removes lingering inorganic compounds and other substances such as nitrogen and phosphorous. This photocatalytic process, employing UVA radiation at 365, 385 and 400nm, is the photo-Fenton Reaction in which radiation causes a rapid reaction between hydrogen peroxide and iron.

Historically the photo-Fenton reaction relied on solar radiation as the source of catalytic radiation, but weather conditions and solar cycles make artificial illumination an attractive alternative. Recently, this has been accomplished using Mercury lamps which have a limited lifespan and high cost associated with them. The Spanish researchers are testing the effectiveness of newly available LED light sources for UV radiation with positive results. LED bulbs are less expensive than traditional incandescent bulb and have a longer life.

Spectroscopy in Nuclear Materials Monitoring

Nuclear power is used around the world to supply commercial and residential power demands without the same carbon footprint of coal fired power, but nuclear power comes with its own risks. Researchers came together from institutions in Finland, Estonia, Romania, and Germany, and used the Avantes AvaSpec-ULS2048-USB2 spectrometer

At the Savannah River National Laboratory plutonium processing site, Avantes instruments are at the core of recent innovations. The new Savannah River spectrophotometer monitoring system replaces colorimeters used to determine plutonium concentration in solution with Avantes AvaSpec-ULS3648 instruments. In addition to being considerably more accurate, the new system is easier to troubleshoot, calibrate, and repair leading to less downtime and improved safety.

Monitoring the Environment

Oceanographic Research

The health of our oceans and seas has dire consequences for humanity. The ocean produces more than half of the oxygen in our atmosphere, and roughly half the world’s population lives in a coastal zone. Protecting our oceans is vital and researchers are increasingly using spectroscopy to monitor the health of the world’s seas and oceans.

Another group of researchers studying ocean and coastal waterways has been developing models to anticipate intense phytoplankton blooms using irradiance spectroscopy. These intense harmful blooming events adversely affect ecosystems and can be adverse for human health as well. Using UAVs fitted with an Avantes AvaSpec dual channel spectroradiometry solution covering 360-1000nm the team was able to derive fine-resolution spectra data and obtain timely information on bloom magnitude. While the technology is still maturing, these researchers recommended initial implementation of spectral bloom monitoring during algal bloom season.

More researchers are using spectroscopy to evaluate damage and impacts to topsoil from wildfires, monitor vegetation recovery after a fire, or measure moisture content and assess risk.

Avantes at the Forefront of Environmental Research

Avantes spectroscopy instrumentation is trusted by environmental and climate researchers around the world for accurate, robust spectral measurements. With more than 2 decades experience in supporting the unique needs of diverse industries and applications, we are your trusted partner in meeting your measurement objectives. Our innovative designs and commitment to advancing the science of photonics means that Avantes spectrometers are built to handle the new and innovative uses researchers are finding for spectroscopy.

Where to Learn More

Contact us today to speak with an expert sales engineer about your unique application needs.